Letter: Corps not right for our river shore

Tri-Citians appreciate and enjoy what the Columbia River and its vast shorelines mean to our community. However, we have we allowed the Army Corps of Engineers to tend to our shorelines for nearly 70 years, far too long (July 8, Guest Opinion). This large bureaucratic government agency is neither interested nor designed to provide management and maintenance. Its responsibility lies solely with the river levees. Furthermore, the Corps is not funded nor suited for these duties, which has resulted in overgrown, unsafe and inaccessible shorelines.

And for communities, organizations or landowners wishing to clean up or enhance river-lined properties, a strictly regulated, cumbersome and lengthy permitting process awaits them.

Improvements like the beautifully maintained 27-mile shoreline pathways were all community-developed and funded through the Tri-Cities Rivershore Enhancement Council. What little maintenance the Corps does provide cost our communities of more than $2 million a year.

Our river shores should belong to the Tri-Cities community not the Corps. The time is now to reconvey our Columbia River shorelines back to the communities. I appreciate the efforts of Gary Petersen, Doc Hastings and Brad Fisher and support them in their efforts to persuade Congress to make it happen. I hope you will too.